Transferring device for optical discs being processed in disc manufacturing assembly, disc manufacturing assembly incorporating the transferring device and associated transferring method

Abstract

A transferring device which operates on an apparatus for producing optical discs comprising several different work stations, each arranged to perform a predetermined operation on the discs being processed. The transferring device performs a sequential transfer of each disc between the different work stations following a path comprising two parallel advance lines, one forward line and one return line, respectively, which are disposed laterally on opposite sides relative to the longitudinal extension axis of a support arm. The support arm supports a first and a second series of pick-up heads arranged to execute the optical disc transfer on the forward and return lines during the forward and return strokes of the support arm, respectively.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A transferring device for optical discs being processed in a disc-making machine, comprising: 
 at least one support arm;    pick-up means operatively supported by said support arm for selectively picking up and releasing at least one optical disc being processed;    drive means acting on said support arm for reciprocally moving said arm between a first limit position and a second limit position, said support arm being movable as a result of said drive means along its own longitudinal extension axis; and    said pick-up means being arranged to operate on a forward line and a return line respectively, which are defined parallel to each other and on opposite sides relative to the longitudinal extension axis of the support arm, to transfer at least one optical disc along the forward line during the forward strokes of the support arm from the first to the second limit positions, and to transfer at least one optical disc along the return line during the return strokes of the support arm from the second to the first limit positions.    
     
     
         2 . The transferring device of  claim 1 , wherein said pick-up means comprises a plurality of pick-up heads mounted to said support arm with each pick-up head being arranged to alternately operate between two stop positions disposed consecutively in side-by-side relation to transfer the disc being processed from one position to the other.  
     
     
         3 . The transferring device of  claim 2 , wherein said pick-up heads are individually movable perpendicularly to the longitudinal movement direction of the support arm to pick up the disc from a stop position and lay it down at a next stop position.  
     
     
         4 . The transferring device of  claim 2 , wherein said pick-up heads can be actuated pneumatically independently of each other for engagement and release of the disc being processed.  
     
     
         5 . The transferring device of  claim 2 , wherein said pick-up heads are spaced-apart by a distance which is substantially equivalent to the distance of the stroke performed by the support arm between the first and second limit positions.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of pick-up heads further comprises a first and a second series of pick-up heads laterally mounted on said support arm at mutually opposite positions relative to the longitudinal extension axis of the arm and adapted to operate on the forward line and return line, respectively.  
     
     
         7 . The transferring device of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said pick-up heads deposits the optical disc on a parking support located at one of said stop positions.  
     
     
         8 . The transferring device of  claim 1 , and further including transferring means provided close to at least one end of said support arm for moving the optical disc from an inlet end location placed in alignment with one of the stop positions on the forward line to an outlet end location placed in alignment with one of the stop positions on the return line.  
     
     
         9 . The transferring device of  claim 8 , wherein said transferring means comprises a turntable having at least two rest elements for the optical discs disposed in correspondence with said inlet and outlet end locations, said turntable capable of being driven in angular rotation to interchange said rest elements placed at the inlet end location and outlet end location, respectively.  
     
     
         10 . The transferring device of  claim 9 , wherein said turntable is comprised of at least three rest elements with two of said rest elements being placed in correspondence with said inlet and outlet end locations and at least one of said rest elements being placed in correspondence with an auxiliary work station, said turntable being movable for interchanging the mutual position of the rest elements.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs during an optical disc processing cycle, comprising: 
 a feeding unit to individually bring the optical discs being processed to a loading location;    a plurality of work stations with each adapted to perform a predetermined operating step included in the optical disc processing cycle, said work stations being provided in an apparatus framework;    an outlet station to receive the finished optical discs;    a transferring device to individually transfer the optical discs being processed from the loading location to the outlet station through the work stations, wherein said transferring device comprises: 
 a support arm,  
 drive means acting on the support arm for reciprocatingly moving said arm along its longitudinal extension axis between a first limit position to a second limit position,  
 pick-up means operatively carried by the support arm for selectively picking up and releasing at least one optical disc being processed, said pick-up means being arranged to operate on a forward line and a return line respectively, which are defined parallel to each other and on opposite sides relative to the longitudinal extension axis of said support arm, said pick-up means being capable of transferring at least one optical disc along the forward line during the forward strokes of said support arm from the first to the second limit positions, and being capable of transferring at least one optical disc along the return line during the return strokes of the support arm from the second to the first limit positions.  
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of claims  11 , wherein said work stations comprise: 
 a metallizing station to apply a metal layer to at least one surface of the optical discs being processed, a covering unit to apply a covering element to the metallized disc surface, and a drying unit operating downstream of the covering unit.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of claims  12 , wherein the work stations further comprise a qualitative control station for inspection of the finished discs and a selecting station operating downstream of the control station to send discs which do not pass inspection to a collecting magazine.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 13 , wherein said selecting station comprises selecting means for selectively sending the optical disc to the collecting magazine and arranging the disc for transfer to the outlet station, upon the actuation of said pick-up means.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 14 , wherein said selecting means comprises an auxiliary supporting element, mounted to an oscillating arm selectively movable between an operating position, wherein said auxiliary support element engages the disc released in the selecting station for supporting the disc over the collecting magazine, and an inoperative position, wherein said auxiliary supporting element is laterally moved away from the collecting magazine.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said work stations is mounted to an auxiliary framework removably associated with the apparatus framework.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 16 , and further comprising positioning and fastening means operating between the auxiliary framework for removably locking the respective work station according to a predetermined positioning thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 17 , wherein said positioning and fastening means comprises threaded tie rods with each of said tie rods being rotatably engaged in a fixed plate supported by the apparatus framework and operating into threaded housings arranged with counter-plates supported by the auxiliary framework of the work station to retain the auxiliary framework raised from the ground, the counter-plates being retained in abutment relation against the fixed plates.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 18 , wherein said threaded tie rods have a greater length than the distance between the upper surfaces of the fixed plates and the upper surfaces of the counter-plates, when the auxiliary framework rests on the ground.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus for producing data-storage optical discs of  claim 18 , wherein said auxiliary framework is provided with slide rollers.  
     
     
         21 . A process for handling optical discs being processed in a disc-making machine which comprises the following steps: 
 depositing an optical disc at a predetermined loading location coincident with a stop position defined along a forward advance line of the optical discs;    engaging the optical disc with the pick-up means carried by a support arm to be operated with a reciprocating motion between a first limit position and a second limit position, in the direction of its longitudinal extension axis parallel to the forward line;    moving said support arm from the first limit position to the second limit position to transfer the optical disc from the loading location to at least one stop position in alignment with the loading station, along the forward line;    engaging, by said pick-up means, an optical disc arranged at an outlet end location coincident with a stop position on a return line of the discs extending parallelly to the longitudinal extension axis of the support arm on the opposite side relative to the forward line;    moving said support arm from the second limit position to the first limit position to transfer the optical disc from the outlet end location to at least one stop position in alignment with the outlet end location along the return line.    
     
     
         22 . The process for handling optical discs being processed in a disc-making machine of  claim 21 , and further comprising the step of displacing the optical disc from the forward line to the outlet end location placed on the return line.  
     
     
         23 . The process for handling optical discs being processed in a disc-making machine of  claim 21 , wherein transfer of the optical disc along each of said forward and return lines occurs sequentially step-by-step, each step being confined between two consecutive stop positions.